For some of its US-based employees who are now stuck in India because of delays in visa processing, Amazon, one of the biggest technology and e-commerce corporations in the world, has implemented a temporary and restricted employment arrangement. According to a Business Insider article, the ruling permits qualified workers with H-1B visas to continue working remotely from India until early March 2026.
This exemption to Amazon’s otherwise stringent five-day work-from-office policy is noteworthy. The action is intended to assist workers whose return to the US has been hampered by protracted waits in visa appointments at US embassies and consulates.
Amazon employees who were in India as of December 13 and are awaiting rescheduling appointments to renew their H-1B visas are allowed to work remotely until March 2, 2026, according to an internal document that Business Insider cited. But the range of activities that may be done within this time is severely limited.
Only personnel affected by visa delays are eligible for this interim solution. It is a restricted exemption under exceptional circumstances rather than a more general change to Amazon’s worldwide remote work policy.
Although remote labor has been authorized, Amazon has placed strict restrictions on the kinds of activities these workers are permitted to engage in. According to the internal document, all evaluations, final approvals, decision-making, and sign-offs have to take place outside of India. No exceptions to these restrictions will be allowed in accordance with local regulations.
Affected personnel were not allowed to code, test, or troubleshoot software using this framework. Additionally, they are prohibited from leading teams, negotiating or signing contracts, visiting Amazon locations in India, engaging with consumers, and making strategic or business decisions. They are also prohibited from taking part in any activities that might directly benefit Amazon’s Indian firms.
These limitations are meant to guarantee compliance with Indian legal and regulatory requirements while permitting workers to continue working in certain professional roles.
The decision was made in reaction to persistent delays in the processing of US visas, especially in light of recent modifications to the H-1B visa program. Appointments at certain US diplomatic offices have allegedly been delayed by many months as a result of increased social media screening of visa applications.
Despite working for American organizations, many IT experts are unable to return to the US due to these delays, according to Business Insider. According to earlier statements from the US State Department, enhanced screening is meant to evaluate visa applicants’ eligibility using “all available tools.”
During visa renewal periods, Amazon usually permits remote work from overseas for a maximum of 20 business days. Although it solely covers employees in India, the recent expansion goes considerably beyond this cap. What options will be available if visa appointments are postponed over the March deadline has not been made clear by the corporation.
In light of the uncertainty surrounding visa processing, the article also mentions that a number of major multinational technology companies, such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft, have issued internal travel cautions to their staff.
One of the biggest users of the H-1B visa program is still Amazon. According to US government statistics reported by Business Insider, the corporation submitted 14,783 certified H-1B petitions during the 2024 fiscal year.